1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method of handling a computer's network connections and, more particularly, to a method that enables a computer user or system administrator to standardize user interfaces for network and dial-up applications and to enable, disable, and monitor network based applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the beginning of the digital age, computers were stand-alone devices. Typically every computer had its own programs, data and peripheral devices such as printers and modems. With the advent of personal computers (PCs), it became advantageous to share programs, data and peripheral devices among computers. For example, a laser printer that is only used occasionally by an individual PC might cost more than the PC. If the printer can be shared, the expense of providing print services to a number of computers located in close proximity to each other can be reduced.
A number of methods for connecting computers and sharing resources among them were developed. Modems were developed to enable users to log in to or transfer data between distant machines, often over a telephone line. More recently, communication devices such as asynchronous digital subscriber line (ADSL) and cable modems have been developed. Computers that were close together were organized into local area networks (LANs) and those that were farther apart into wide area networks (WANs). Although a WAN can consist entirely of a collection of widely dispersed stand-alone computers, a WAN is more often comprised of two or more LANs connected by means of public telephone or leased lines. The Internet is an example of a WAN.
Other innovations that followed the advent of the PC were "windowing" systems and "desktops." Xerox Star, developed at the Xerox Corporation's Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) in Palo Alto, Calif., demonstrated the practicality of a graphical user interface (GUI). Soon thereafter other GUIs were developed, including mac by the Apple Computer Corporation of Cupertino, Calif. and Windows by the Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.
In addition to a window system, a desktop system is typically included on today's PCs. One feature of the desktop is that a program or application can be initiated by clicking on an icon with a mouse. Depending upon where the application is located, on the current computer, on a connected LAN or on a connected WAN, the GUI follows a specified procedure to initiate the application. Since LAN connections are established when the computer is booted up, there is usually very little difference between initiating an application located on the current computer and one located on a connected LAN. However when an application is located on a connected WAN or other remote computer, the GUI typically must first, before executing the program, establish a connection to the remote computer.
Typically a LAN connection from one computer to another is enabled when the computer is powered up and remains enabled as long as the computer remains up. This provides nearly transparent access to programs, data and peripheral devices among computers on the LAN because, unlike resources located on a WAN, connections do not have to be established every time an application is initiated. In the normal scheme of things this is perceived as an advantage.